Well, it's now snowing. . . . . ! Feel like I have seen all the seasons over the last week here. . ?! It's crazy. . . . . Anyway, I took a nice steady drive up to Queenstown, got myself a hostel and checked in. It is about a 10 minute walk into town and maybe 15 minutes back (uphill), still it's a really nice cozy place and very friendly. I didn't do much as I got there late, so made some food and got chatting to a Scottish couple. . . I ended up having some food and then spent the rest of the night with them, sharing stories and a few beers. We even managed to squeeze in a game of Scrabble. . . . Yeah yeah, me and my Scrabble (Can't get enough!). There was a guy from Hong Kong who we invited to play with us. . . That was a little crazy. . . He soon got the hang of it though, but only really managed 3 letter words, but it was fun!

I had a bit of a lie-in in the morning, then had some breaky and headed out into town to do some planning and also to buy a few bits and bobs. . . . I didn't really do much planning, but did get a few bargains. . . Some new walking shoes, socks, thermals and waterproof trousers for walking and snowboarding in. . . ! I found a really nice café that does great home made hot chocolate. . . . Now I am not normally a chocolate fan, but this stuff is pretty awesome! Also they have free wireless internet access!

I was heading back to the hostel after a successful days shopping and little planning, when I wandered past the local cinema and noticed it was the opening of Shrek 3. . . . . Well. . . . Needless to say, I purchased my ticket and a small tub of popcorn and I was away! The film was funny as you can imagine and killed an hour or so. . . . !

I got back to the hostel and planned to have some food and head back into town to sample the nightlife, but unfortunately I never managed it again! I got chatting to a guy and watched a movie and had a few beers. . . ! Maybe Friday night. . . ? Who know's. . . .

Friday morning I got up earlier and after breaky headed out towns Arrowtown, a small town about 25km from Queenstown. . . .There was not much there, just a short street with the usual things on it. . . I went there though for a different reason. . . The guy I bought some of my stuff off recommended a few walks up there. . . . So after a walk down the short street and a coffee to get me going I headed off for the locals favorite 'Sawpit Gully', a 2 -3 hour trek for the mid range to high fitness category. . . . . hmmmm. . . . ?! Well, after the first 25 or so minutes of incline I thought I may have chosen something out of my league, however it did ease off to a more manageable and enjoyable walk. There were some great views and it was fun being in the snow again. . . . I did mention the snow?

I did the walk in less than 2 hours including stops, so I am either super fit or they over exaggerate the times. . . . I think more the later. . . ?! Still it was great fun and has helped improve my fitness a bit more. . . . I didn't stop in Arrowtown, like I said nothing really there, so headed back to Queenstown, stopping on the way to do a bit of planning for the next few days. . . . . 'Fly-By-Wire' for Saturday morning, then up to Glenorchy for the night. Now the Fly thingy is something Phil recommended to me, so let's see how I get on. . . . I will fill you in more once I have done it. . . . Now Glenorchy, again is a small town or village near Queenstown and again, nothing there but a good base for some walks recommended, so off up the hills again. . . !

I really wanted to do white water sledging, but unfortunately the season has ended for a lot of things. . . . I can't do Canyoning either, so am a little p***ed off about that. . . . ! But hey whatever, it beats working for a living?!? Sorry!

Well. . . . Now then, I got back to Queenstown and was chatting with Bridget, an English girl who works at the lodge and I asked where was good to go out for a night and she said that she was going out with a friend and Olivier the guy who also works at the place and asked if I wanted to join them? I clearly I said yes. . . . They were going to a local bar / club for an opening night of a new promotion thingy. . . . Well, to cut the story down a bit, we went there and got lots of free beers, me included as there guys thought I was a local worker to. . . . ! Happy days!

The evening continued when we went to a bar / club called The Boiler Room. Emma, the other friend's mate was working there and hey, he was from Derby. . . . Turned out he was from Oakwood. . . How strange?! We had a coolio night and drank lots, including many Jager Bombs! We ended the night in another club, Bar doe, other something like that. . . I was drunk, so cannot remember to well. . . . . I finally hit my bed around 5.30am, so yeah, I had a really good night. . . .!

Was a little tough in the morning as I was doing the fly-by-wire thingy. . ! Basically, you are strapped into a rocket and you fly up and down a valley attached only to a steel cable. . . . Great fun though, although it did end too quickly. . . . .

After that I got in the car and took the beautiful drive up to Glenorchy, once I had checked out my accommodation for the night (a basic hostel thingy), I had a bit of a drive around the area and did a Really nice walk out through some woods to a gorgeous lake. It was so peaceful and tranquil. . . . I didn't see anyone. I never see anyone! As it was late on in the day though, it started getting dark, so it was a little freaky walking through the woods back. . . . . I was more like power-walking by the end. . !

That night obviously I didn't do a great deal, I got the wood burner going and got the place nice and toasty, then watched a film on my laptop and had an earlyish night. . . . !

The next day I was up early and after a big breakfast from the place I headed for the day trek up the Routeburn Pass. The full trek is a 2 -3 day job, but I was able to get so far and come back. . . . . Again the times were on the conservative side, so managed to get quite a way. . . . My first real stop was the Routeburn Flat Hut (660m up), one of the over night places you can stop at. I met a couple of hunters there, but they hadn't had much look, the snow under foot is crunchy, so sort of gave them away to any potential prey! Probably not a bad thing?

I then headed up the relatively steep path to the next huts, the Routeburn Falls Huts. . . . . The walk was good going and certainly kept me warm in the cold! I got to the huts in good time and had a nosy round, then walked a bit higher to see the falls (about 1100m up). The temperature really dropped in the open near the top and there was lots of snow and ice, so the track was very slippy. I took the decision not to go any further, being on my own and all. . . . . ! The walk back was relatively easy as most of it was down hill, however a bit heavy on the old knees!

I got back to the car park around 4.30ish, so decided to head back to Queenstown for the evening and back to the same lodge. . . . It was nice to see the friends I had met again. . . . . I ended up going out again with Olivier and a guy from London and a girl from USA. We played pool for most of the night and sank a few beers. . . . It ended up being a late one again, as I watched the Moto GP on the TV, then went to Bar doe again with some other random people, I seem to get on well with random people! Happy days!

So, I am now sat in a bar in Queenstown contemplating my next moves. . . I am definitely here for another night at least, then probably gonna head to Wanaka and hopefully do some good stuff again?!? Just gonna chill today and plan, so ciao for now people and I'll keep ya posted again soon!